Can the NDIS help with washing and ironing?

If you have a disability, keeping on top of household tasks like laundry can be difficult.

Here at Leap in! we’re often asked if tasks such as washing and ironing will be covered by the NDIS. The answer is: yes, when the support is reasonable and necessary.

Support with household tasks can fall under two categories. If you need someone to complete the tasks for you, then it falls under the Core supports budget. If you want help to learn how to do these tasks yourself and build independence, then the Capacity Building budget can be used.

A reminder about reasonable and necessary supports.

It’s important to remember that the NDIS will only fund supports if they are reasonable and necessary for you and your disability. You can read more on What is “reasonable and necessary?

If you are not able to safely do household tasks like washing or ironing because of your disability, you might be able to use NDIS funding for support with this activity.

Core supports: Assistance with Daily Life.

There are a few options available when it comes to assistance with daily life and household tasks which we will explore below.

In-home laundry support.

You can request for someone to drop in on a regular basis and help you with a specific task, like your laundry. Once you’ve determined how often you need help with this task and if funding for this support is approved, all you need to do is organise timing of service with your provider and you’re set to go!

Linen service provision.

If you are unable to wash and iron for yourself, it may be possible to arrange for a linen service to pick up your washing and return it later cleaned, ironed and ready to use again. This support needs to be approved by the NDIA. To do this, you simply need to get a quote from your preferred provider and submit it for consideration.

If you’re wondering if your quote represents value for money, have a look at the latest NDIS Price Guide, which will help you to figure out if you’re on the right track for approval.

Capacity Building supports: Build your skills to live more independently.

If one of your NDIS goals is to become more independent and learn how to do your own laundry so you won’t need to rely on anyone else, the NDIS might be able to help you.

Funding from the Capacity Building supports budget can be used to build your washing and ironing skills which could help you to live more independently in the future. This could include using an occupational therapist, who may recommend assistive technology to safely do these tasks or help you to develop washing and ironing skills.

We’re here to help.
If you have questions about how you can get support for household tasks such as laundry, give us a call on 1300 05 78 78 or check out the Leap in! app to help you set goals in preparation for your NDIS Plan meeting.